Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened Elon Musk with deportation in the latest barb during a feud that began over the president's tax cut and spending bill.
Musk, who for nearly four months headed Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has criticized Trump and Republicans for not cutting enough spending in the megabill being worked on by Congress.
After the president suggested ending all government subsidies to Musk's companies, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO dared Trump to "cut it all." Musk also has called for a new political party.
"He's upset that he's losing his EV mandate, and he'd very upset about it," Trump told reporters while leaving the White House for Marine One. "He could lose a lot more than that. Elon could lose a lot more than that."
Asked about possibly deporting Musk, Trump replied: "I don't know, we'll have to take a look."
During a social media post Tuesday, shortly after midnight, Trump said Musk "would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa" without the subsidies.
"We might have to put DOGE on Elon. DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon," he told reporters. "Wouldn't that be terrible.
"He gets a lot of subsidies ... but Elon's very upset that the EV Mandate is going to be terminated and you know what? Not everybody wants an electric car."
Trump's remarks came after Musk, a Republican megadonor, renewed his criticism of the sweeping tax-cut and spending bill and vowed to unseat lawmakers who supported it despite campaigning on limiting government spending.
The U.S. Transportation Department regulates vehicle design and will play a key role in deciding if Tesla can mass-produce robotaxis without pedals and steering wheels, while Musk's rocket firm SpaceX has about $22 billion in federal contracts.
"Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa," Trump said in a Truth Social post.
"No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!"
In response, Musk said on his own social media platform X, "I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now."
Trump had in early June threatened to cut Musk's government contracts when their relationship devolved into a social media brawl over the tax-cut bill, which non-partisan analysts estimate would add about $3 trillion to the U.S. debt.
AFP and Reuters contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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